[CIT2011]Drug-Eluting Balloon: From Concept to Application——Live Interview with Prof. Eric Eeckhout
International Circulation: Last year ESC and EACTS published joint guidelines on myocardial revascularization. Could you briefly summarize the latest progress in reperfusion strategy for STEMI?
Dr. Eeckhout: This joint effort for the first time to have surgeons to work together and write common guidelines on myocardial revascularization is a big step forward and this European initiative should be congratulated. We will have a session this afternoon at CIT dedicated to this topic and we will focus left main disease and triple vessel disease. The key is that for elective patients there must be a discussion upfront with the patient, his family, and a heart team discussion between cardiologists and surgeons. The gatekeeper function of the cardiologist as it has been traditionally seen should probably change somewhat.
In terms of STEMI patients, the mainstay of treatment still lays in the hands of the interventional cardiologist. Europe is doing a lot now in the area of STEMI intervention now. We have the Stent for Life initiative, which is an initiative cobranded by the ESC, EuroPCR, and EAPCI.